Providence Bruins turn back Worcester Sharks

WORCESTER — A third of the way through the 2013-14 AHL season, the Worcester Sharks are a .500 team, but they haven't been without their volatility.

The Sharks grabbed a pair of road wins last weekend, but returned from their Christmas layoff to produce a dud Thursday at the DCU Center, falling behind early and trailing the entire way in a 4-0 loss to the Providence Bruins.

"We didn't get the bounces, but the harder you work, the luckier you are, so I guess that says it right there," Sharks coach Roy Sommer said.

Worcester gave up a two sloppy first-period goals, both involving starting defenseman Freddie Hamilton, as their Route 146 rivals stole the momentum, encouraging a heavy contingent of Bruins fans among the 5,186 in attendance.

"Once you have the lead, it's a lot easier to skate downhill than it is uphill," Providence coach Bruce Cassidy said.

After starting the season with only three wins in their first 11 games, Worcester got on a roll in mid-November, winning six of seven to get above water. But the Sharks are back on the skids, having lost four of their last six to fall to 12-12-1-1.

"We got outworked by a team with a lot less of their lineup than the last time we played them," Sommer said, noting the absence forwards Ryan Spooner, Matt Fraser and Nick Johnson, all in Boston. "We kind of just went through the motions for the most part, which is sad because we came off a half-decent road trip and for them to come out and play like that — not acceptable."

Among the Sharks' shortcomings on Thursday, Sommer pointed to an 0-for-6 effort on the power play and a lack of finishing in front of net.

"It's not like we have a whole bunch of 30-goal scorers in our lineup," Sommer said. "We've got to get the hard goals and right now they're just not dropping."

Worcester is winless in three games this season against Providence (15-9-1-5). The two will meet again Jan. 3 in Providence, and then again two days after that.

Meanwhile, the Sharks will look to bounce back at home against the St. John's IceCaps at 7:30 tonight. It will be the 500th AHL game for 32-year-old NHL veteran Bracken Kearns, who leads Worcester with 18 points through 26 games.

Kearns had the Sharks' best look of the night from the edge of the crease 12 minutes into the second period, but couldn't finish into an open net as Swedish goalie Niklas Svedberg (32 saves) dove back in time to cover the left post.

It was the first shutout of the season in 19 decisions for Providence's go-to goalie.

"He's finding his form," Cassidy said. "I'm not sure he was happy with where his game was at, but I think the last 4-5 starts, you can see it's coming around."

AHL rookie Troy Grosenick saw some of the luster come off his year for Worcester. He fell to 6-4 and watched his .924 save percentage suffer, letting in four of the 34 shots he faced.

The winner came just 3:33 into the game as Worcester got overaggressive on the right boards off a Hamilton turnover, leaving Carter Camper all alone in the middle of the slot to snipe it past Grosenick. Seth Griffith got the assist.

With two minutes left in the opening period, Scott Campbell got out ahead on a breakaway. Grosenick pushed the initial shot to his left, but Campbell was there on the rebound backhander to make it 2-0.

Anthony Camara swooped in from the left side to make it 3-0 6:15 into the second period, beating Grosenick stick-side at the near post.

Griffith scored on the power play with 6:58 left, banging in the rebound of a shot by Craig Cunningham, who got the assist on Camara's goal.